Nanny
by cousin D
Summary: Dragon Ball Z crossed over  with Tenshi.  Vegeta is reunited with the only person who ever treated him kindly (Before DBZ) and she has a surprise for him.  Ryoko,  his baby sister?!


These characters are not mine  
Dragon ball Z crossover with Tenchi Muyo  
For anyone who questions the time difference, it's all due to a dimension jump.  
  
  
NANNY  
  
Written by Cousin D  
  
  
  
Vegeta, prince of the Saiyan people, sat at the breakfast table in his home reading the paper.   
  
Truth be told, he was more than satisfied with his life here on Earth. Of coarse he would never admit this, not even to his beloved wife, Bulma. Still, life was good. He had a family that he loved and was very proud of. His daughter, Bra, was as fitting a princess as any born in the royal palace. His son, Trunks, was smart, like his mother and a brave fighter.  
  
Even Goku, was a pleasure for Vegeta. He enjoyed having another full-blooded Saiyan who he could fight with and have no fear of hurting. His own children, though they were strong as he could wish for, he couldn't fight all out with them.  
  
The peaceful silence of the early morning was broken with a loud knock on the front door. Vegeta ignored the knocking, certain that if it were important Bulma would answer it. Even then, it couldn't be all that interesting. The only visitors that he wished to see would never wake this early in the morning. He could just see Goku snoring in bed. That man needed more sleep than any living creature Vegeta had ever seen!  
  
He heard his woman, Bulma answer the door with a polite "Hello, what can I do for you?"  
  
"Ah, you must be Bulma. I'm here to see Vegeta and these people said that he lived here." The voice was high pitched and just a little to cheery.  
  
Vegeta, his eyes popping wide open as he recognized the voice, dropped his newspaper and flew from the room. He knew that voice. It was her!  
  
When Vegeta reached the door, the Son family, Goku, his woman, Chi Chi and their youngest son Goten, blocked his view. "Hey, Vegeta!" Was Goku's greeting, but the spiky haired man barely heard him when the visitor came into view.  
  
"Nanny!" He exclaimed in surprise.  
  
Everyone shouted, "Nanny?"   
  
Vegeta didn't answer and simply stared at the little woman. She was so small that she looked about as old as his ten year old son. The woman grinned maniacally and started laughing.  
  
"What's wrong, my little Vegeta? Aren't you pleased to see me?"  
  
Vegeta stared in open-mouthed amazement and his mind traveled back in time...  
  
  
The Saiyan palace-  
  
  
Vegeta woke from his nightmare and looked around his darkened room. "Nanny!" He called out. When she didn't answer immediately Vegeta knew that something was wrong. She was always here.  
  
Quietly, the seven-year-old boy climbed out of his large bed and crept out of his room. The halls of his father's palace were empty. He could feel something out of place. Hoping that it would lead him to Nanny, Vegeta followed the feeling and it led him to his father's chambers.  
  
Only a little afraid that his father was simply dallying with a woman, as he often did, Vegeta pushed open the door and came to a strange sight.  
  
His father was fast asleep on his bed with a tankard in one hand and Nanny was leaning over him. She had a syringe in her hand that was sunk into his father's arm.  
  
"Nanny?" Nanny jumped slight and turned her eyes a little wild. Then she relaxed when she saw it was Vegeta.  
  
"Little Vegeta, come in and close the door behind you." She whispered.   
  
Vegeta did as she told him and came to sit next to his father and watched as she finished filling the syringe with blood.  
  
"What are you doing, Nanny?" He asked.  
  
She smiled and slipped the syringe into her pocket. "Something secret, but I'll tell you once we get you back to bed, little Vegeta."  
  
She took him back to his chambers and tucked him into bed. Vegeta waited impatiently for her to tell him what was going on.  
  
Nanny leaned in close to him and whispered. "I'm making a baby."  
  
Vegeta nearly jumped out of his bed. "A baby? Wow!"  
  
Nanny laughed. "Not so loud, little one, you'll wake the palace. Yes, a baby."  
  
Then the thought occurred to Vegeta. "What does that have to do with father?"  
  
"Well, since he is the strongest Saiyan, I wanted to put his strength into my child." She smiled sweetly. "My child will be very strong and she will be your sister. I wanted some of what makes your father strong so I needed his blood."  
  
Vegeta settled back into his bed. "When do I get my sister?"  
  
Nanny laughed gently and stroked his forehead lovingly. "Soon, my little one. In just a couple of months. You must promise me that you won't tell anyone, though."  
  
Vegeta frowned. "Why?"  
  
"Because I want to surprise your father after my baby is born. I trust you, Vegeta. Can you keep this secret just between us?"  
  
Vegeta thought for a moment. Father was just a man who checked on him about once a week. Nanny was one person he loved. It was a very simple choice. "Yes, Nanny."  
  
Nine months flew by for Vegeta who was thrilled by the prospect of getting a little sister. He worked extra hard on his lessons and his battle skills. He wanted to be able to take care of Nanny and his sister and he knew that to do this he had to be strong, the best.  
  
Vegeta woke one morning and Nanny wasn't there. He found her in her chambers, with a tiny bundle on cloth in her arms. Nanny looked very tired. She smiled. "Good morning, Vegeta." She said sleepily. "You're just in time. Come meet your new sister."  
  
Vegeta ran to her and looked up. The baby was so tiny and sleeping. She had silver/blue hair and he could see a little tail curled around her fist.   
  
"What's her name." Vegeta whispered.  
  
Nanny looked down at Vegeta and brushed a strand of bright pink hair from her eyes. "Ryoko. My little Ryoko."  
  
  
  
Vegeta proved to be a very worthy big brother. He was immensely protective of his little sister and loved showing her off to his few friends. He loved her to no end and would do anything for her. He was all ready planning to teach her to fight when she was a little older.  
  
One day his heart was broken.  
  
Vegeta walked into the throne room, looking for something to do and he was shocked to see a great assembly. Father was on his throne and Nanny was holding Ryoko on the floor in front of the throne as she faced a stranger. The stranger wore little glasses and Vegeta knew that he was an alien because he had no tail, like Nanny. Vegeta listened to the angry conversation.  
  
"Kagato, you fool!" Nanny yelled. "I won't let you have my creation, you know that!" She was so angry. Vegeta was almost afraid of her, he had never seen her yell like this.  
  
The alien laughed "You don't have much of a choice, Professor. The king has struck a bargain with me."  
  
Nanny looked at Vegeta's father with hate in her eyes. "After all I did for you? You son will be the greatest the royal house of your people has ever seen because of me. You sold me."  
  
The king laughed. "Yes, professor. You have made sure that my son will be the most powerful, most intelligent, Saiyan ever. Now you have no more use to me. Kagato needs you and he is willing to give me many weapons for you and your daughter."  
  
"No!" Vegeta screamed and ran toward them. "Father, you can't sell Nanny and Ryoko!"  
  
"Be silent, boy!" The king snarled, looking down his nose at his son. "I will do as I please. You are to old for a Nanny and it is time for you to go to the military camp, anyway."  
  
Vegeta threw his arms around Nanny, like he could protect her somehow. Nanny touched his shoulder. "Move away, little Vegeta." She said in a strong voice.   
  
Vegeta did as she told him with tears in his eyes and watched Nanny look at the king. With a cold voice she told him bluntly. "Your race is finished. I will see to it that your empire is ended. If it takes me a life time, you will regret what you did to me."  
  
"Enough, Professor Washu." Kagato said and he gestured toward her. Nanny was frozen in some light and little Ryoko floated out of the light. She floated into Kagato's arms and Vegeta desperately wanted to kill the man for touching his sister.   
  
They all vanished and Vegeta saw an amazing ship through the window. It sailed a short way before vanishing into a dimension shift.  
  
There was a brief silence and Vegeta glared at his father. The bearded man smiled at his son. "Get your things packed, son. Tomorrow you leave for your military training."  
  
  
  
Earth-  
  
  
Nanny stood in the doorway, surrounded by Vegeta's friends and occasional rivals, and Vegeta threw his arms around the little, pink haired woman. She hadn't changed, in the many years since she'd vanished.  
  
There were tears coursing down his cheeks as the Saiyan prince quietly cried and, for once, he didn't care who saw.   
  
A little hand touched his hair. "I've missed you, too, my little Vegeta."  
  
When he finally released her, Vegeta roughly brushed his tears away with the back of his arm.   
  
"And now for the big surprise!" Nanny announced loudly with a cheery smile. "Vegeta, prince of the Saiyans, meet you sister, Ryoko."  
  
Nanny stepped clear of the door and through it walked an amazing woman. She was tall and had yellow cat's eyes. Her hair was the same silver/blue that he remembered and she walked like she owned the world. Vegeta felt tremendous power from her.   
  
Ryoko smiled with that sultry smile that melted hearts. "Hello, brother."  
  
  
  
  
  
CHAPTER 2  
  
  
  
  
  
Professor Washu was sitting in her lab, trying to work. It just wasn't going to happen. Her thoughts kept flashing back to the pictures she kept on her wall. Little Ryoko dominated the wall. Candid pictures where she was drunk, yelling at someone, or peacefully flying. Ryoko could be very gentle when she thought no one was watching her.  
  
At the center of her wall of photos was a single picture of a little boy with long spiky brown hair. The boy had a half smile as he looked at the camera. He was dressed finely and had his arms crossed over his chest.  
  
Washu stood and stared at the picture of the little boy for a long while before she reached out to touch it. He was so beautiful to her. The boy who replaced the son that had been taken from her.  
  
She wanted to see him again, and perhaps now was the time. Ryoko needed to know her brother. Washu smiled at the picture. "I'll be there to see you soon, my little one. Nanny is coming back to you."  
  
"Come on Ryoko." Washu said to her daughter who was, as usual, lazing around of Tenchi's couch watching soap opera's. "We're going visiting."  
  
Ryoko looked up at her 'so called' mother and sweat dropped. Washu, the greatest scientist in the universe was all dressed up. Her hair was combed back into a ponytail and she had on green trousers and a black jacket with a bag over her shoulder.  
  
Ryoko turned back to her soap. "Who do we know on this planet to go visiting?" She was vaguely interested, but only just. Tenchi was coming home from the fields soon and she had to be here when he did or Ayeka would get to him first.  
  
"On this planet? No one. We're going to see your big brother on a parallel Earth. It's just a short dimension hop from here and I think he'd be interested to see you. I've been trying to keep up with his life, but I haven't been able to contact him for quite sometime."  
  
This got Ryoko's interest. "Brother? Now I know Minagi is my sister, but you never told me about a brother." She sat up and looked closer at Washu. She didn't like to admit that the little woman (more like little girl) was her mother, but Ryoko did respect her, and it was rare that someone managed to earn Ryoko's respect.   
  
"Well, it all happened before you were born. In fact," Washu frowned. "We had to leave just after you were born, so there was no way you would remember him."  
  
Ryoko got a flash of bitterness, something she often suffered from. "You can count me out." The silver haired girl looked back at her television. "Why should I want to meet some boy I've never heard of?" Washu had never bothered to tell her about him before, anyway.  
  
Washu, who knew her baby girl so well, smirked and turned her back on Ryoko. "I guess you're right. After all, he would probably be embarrassed of you."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Oh, yes. I expect you'd be quite the disappointment for him." Washu continued. "He's incredibly strong and very, very powerful. He'd likely just make you feel inferior anyway. I'll be going now. I'll give him your regards..." Washu giggled at Ryoko slightly over one hand as she started to walk away.  
  
Ryoko flew over Washu's head and landed infront of her. "You're not going without me!" Ryoko got her cool confidant look. "I've just gotta meet this guy you think is better than me."   
  
Washu would swear she saw a look of jealously in her daughter's eyes, but Ryoko would strongly argue with that.  
  
The doorway into the other dimension was literally a doorway in Washu's lab. The two spiky haired women stood infront of it for a short moment until Washu activated the link from this dimension to the one she knew her son would be in.  
  
"By the way," Ryoko asked as they stepped into the black door. "What's this guy's name?"  
  
Washu smiled. "Vegeta, prince of the Saiyans."  
  
  
  
  
They sat in Vegeta's living room with him and his green haired wife, Bulma, on one side of the room and Washu and Ryoko on the other side of the room. There were some of Vegeta's 'friends' also, like Goku, Piccolo, and Yamcha. Washu and Vegeta were reliving old times, before Frieza and Kagato.  
  
At each laugh and smile, Ryoko looked more depressed and angry. Finally she stood and floated off the floor.  
  
"Where do you think you're going, Ryoko?" Washu asked pointedly.  
  
"Out." Ryoko answered sharply and then cast a narrow look at her sour looking brother. "It's so dull around here, I can't bear it. I'm going to explore the nearest city."  
  
"The nearest town is a hundred miles away." Bulma told her. "The nearest city is even further away."  
  
"Then I'll have a nice long flight." Ryoko headed to the door, but Washu called to her.  
  
"Little Ryoko."  
  
Ryoko growled. "Don't call me that, Washu!"  
  
"All right, but I just thought you'd need some money to entertain yourself in the city." Ryoko looked back at the smirking, green-eyed scientist who now held out a pouch of coins to her.  
  
Ryoko snatched to purse without a word and flew away. Everyone watched her go and Goku said pleasantly. "She sure has Vegeta's personality."  
  
Vegeta snarled at his rival. "What's that supposed to mean? I am not that unpleasant!"  
  
Bulma gave him a glare and everyone else sweat dropped except Washu who, apparently, noticed nothing out of the ordinary.  
  
"I don't mean to pry into your family," Bulma said to Washu, "But Ryoko doesn't seem to like you very much."  
  
Washu sighed and her smile faded slightly. "She's been through a lot in her life." Washu told them sadly and she looked at Vegeta. It was clear to her that he had also gone through great many hard times after she'd been taken from him. "Perhaps Ryoko will let me tell you one day."  
  
"What do you mean?" Goku asked.  
  
"This is Ryoko's business. She doesn't like strangers knowing all about her. I'll let her tell you herself."  
  
  
  
Ryoko-  
  
  
  
Hours later Ryoko can back to the Capsule Corporation house slightly tipsy and carrying a bag of saki bottles. She landed on the roof and didn't intent to go in. Lights from the house lit the front yard and Ryoko heard Washu laughing at something. She took another swig of the saki and reclined on the round roof, gazing at the stars, unintentionally reciting the names of all she could see.  
  
She knew the names of thousands of stars and millions of planets. It was all stored in her memory, placed there by those machines Kagato had hooked her into. Ryoko shook her head and took another drink. She didn't like thinking about those days, before Tenchi had freed her. When she was a slave.  
  
  
  
Vegeta-  
  
  
  
In the house Vegeta was interested in Ryoko's heritage. Washu was being very honest, as she was quite proud of her daughter, and told him everything.  
  
"Ryoko is part Saiyan, you remember the night I took a blood sample from your father? Well, she is also part Mass, a creature you have not yet encountered, and part Jurian. Ryoko is my greatest creation!" Washu stood up triumphantly and two chibi-Washu's appeared on her shoulders, screaming,   
  
"Washu's the greatest!"   
  
"The greatest scientist ever!"   
  
They waved little flags.  
  
Vegeta thought this over and didn't seem in the least bit surprised at the chibi-Washu's. "That is all good, but how is her fighting ability? A sister of mine should be a great fighter."  
  
Washu shrugged. "I suppose she is a good fighter. She is very strong, but no match for a Super Saiyan and she does possess other abilities." Washu said this with a touch of modesty.  
  
Vegeta leaned forward. "May I test her strength, Nanny?" He asked eagerly. He had been waiting for his sister for far to long.  
  
Washu was about to answer when little Bra started crying in Bulma's arms. Washu got a wicked look in her eyes. "Only if I can hold that baby!" She declared. "Is it yours, little Vegeta?"  
  
"Yes, Nanny. That's my daughter, Bra. My older brat is a boy, Trunks. He is at Kakarotto's home with his mate and brats."  
  
Bulma shrugged. Well, there could be no harm in letting Vegeta's friend hold Bra. She handed Washu the little girl and Washu immediately stared to talk baby talk to the girl. She stopped long enough to call out.  
  
"Ryoko! Come down here!"  
  
Ryoko's slightly slurred voice came down from the roof through an open window. "Wha you want, Wassshuuuu? I wuz jes getting comftaableee."  
  
Washu rolled her eyes at the state her child was in, but called. "Vegeta wants to talk to you." Everyone heard her mutter, "Drunk. Again."  
  
There was no answer for a moment and Washu stuck her head out the window. She saw Ryoko's arm hanging over the edge of the roof with a saki bottle in on hand. "Ryoko! Tenchi's here!" She called out. Sure enough, the boy's name was enough to wake up Ryoko.  
  
"Tenchi? Wha?" Ryoko looked around blearily.  
  
"I was teasing, Ryoko. Get down here."  
  
Washu went back to playing with Bra when everyone was shocked to see Ryoko, in a reclining position, with her tail hanging down, float through the ceiling.  
  
Normally, they wouldn't have been surprised to see someone break through the ceiling. Or even materialize through it. But Ryoko simply floated through as if the ceiling weren't there. She landed on the couch next to Washu.  
  
"Damn it, Washu, what do you want?" Ryoko rubbed her eyes in an effort to sober herself.  
  
"Just for you to show your big brother what you're made of." Washu stuck her tongue out at the little Bra.   
  
Ryoko groaned and glared at Vegeta who wondered why his sister was acting so strangely. Still, he could detect little or no power from her, so it was unlikely that she was much of a fighter. Pity. Vegeta just knew if he'd been the one to train her, the silver haired girl would be fantastic.  
  
He stood and motioned for her to walk with him. Ryoko stayed on the couch and crossed her arms over her chest, unconsciencely mimicking Vegeta's usual pose.   
  
Vegeta's frowned at her. "What are you waiting for, woman? Get up. I will test your ability."  
  
Ryoko snorted. "You? Test me? Get a life, pal. I don't need testing." She crossed her legs, getting a nosebleed from Yamcha whose mouth nearly hit the floor.  
  
Vegeta saw this and snapped at Yamcha. "That's my sister, hentai! Stop ogling her or I'll vaporize you!" Yamcha instantly shut his mouth and pulled his eyes back into their sockets, knowing full well that Vegeta never made ideal threats.  
  
Ryoko stood and walked up to Vegeta's. More accurately, she looked down at him. "I don't need your protection." She said in an acid tone. "I've fended off bigger and badder boys than that dork." She pointed at Yamcha.  
  
Yamcha looked rather hurt.  
  
"I just want to see your power level, woman. Why are you angry at that?" He was trying to be nice, he really was. "Are you stupid or something?"  
  
Ryoko's answer was simple. "I hate you."  
  
Vegeta was stunned. His sister. His little baby sister whom he'd been waiting for so many years hated him. "Why?" He demanded to know.  
  
Ryoko laughed and floated through the wall to the outside. Everyone followed her, with Washu still holding Bra. Ryoko kept laughing and Washu whispered to Vegeta. "She's still drunk. Please, be careful. She really is quite dangerous when she's not thinking straight."  
  
Vegeta smirked. "There's no need to worry about me, Nanny. I'll teach her respect."  
  
Washu didn't look entirely convinced.  
  
Vegeta still sensed little power from Ryoko and thought perhaps his Nanny was a little to impressed just because Ryoko was her daughter. Still, this was as good a time as any to test her.  
  
Vegeta flew into the air and waited next to her while all his friends waited by to his home. "What reason do you have to hate me?" The Saiyan prince asked her with his usual snotty tone.  
  
Ryoko stopped laughing and Vegeta saw that she was still drunk by the way she was blinking and weaving unsteadily in the air.  
  
"You always had what I wanted." Ryoko said, her yellow feline eyes still on him, looking unfocused.  
  
"How can you say that? You've only just met me and know nothing about me."  
  
"I know enough."  
  
Vegeta then noticed a glowing gem on her wrist. It pulsed with a strange energy, something he'd never seen.  
  
Ryoko spit at him. "You had my mother!" She threw a fairly weak energy blast at him which Vegeta easily deflected. "You had MY mother. You had her kisses and her hugs. I never got them!" She threw another energy blast at him. "I was a slave to that bastard, Kagato, and you had my mom!"  
  
On the ground, Washu was amazed at what she was hearing. Could it be that Ryoko actually did love her? Pity it had to come out in this way. Her thoughts were interrupted when Ryoko raised her hands over her head and began to chant.   
  
Oh, dear. Washu thought to herself.  
  
Vegeta didn't know what was going on and Washu was a little worried. Still, she didn't interfere yet. Vegeta might be her baby, but he was Saiyan to the core. He respected strength and he needed to see that Ryoko had a strength that he would never have.  
  
"They don't call me the demon summoner for nothing." Ryoko cried as the earth trembled. Vegeta heard Bulma cry out, frightened. He looked down to see Kakarotto catch her from falling. Good. At least it wasn't that fool, Yamcha. That human had no right to touch his woman. Kakarotto, on the other hand, was Saiyan and would never be disrespectful to the woman.   
  
As he looked down, Vegeta was shocked, to say the least, when a large ghostly image came out form under his home. "What the hell is that?!" He demanded. "He'd felt no energy build up. Where had it come from? It looked vaguely like an oozaro.  
  
Ryoko flew over to the thing and landed on its head. The creature was immense, nearly fifty feet tall with short legs, but long, ape-like arms. "A demon, brother, dear."   
  
Washu stood with the other warriors at Vegeta's home and watched, curiously. It would be simple to stop this battle should it go to far, but it was interesting to see that Vegeta had lived here so long that his other form had rubbed off on the place. A spirit had obviously been influenced by Vegeta's duel nature.  
  
Vegeta threw a Ki blast at the demon, which passed through it and made a large hole in his home.  
  
"Vegeta!" Bulma screamed, looking at the hole. "That's going to take me forever to fix!"   
  
Vegeta ignored the screams of his woman, knowing that she really didn't mean it. She was just being playful. Besides, he thought she was so cute when she screamed.  
  
On the head of the demon, Ryoko laughed drunkenly and almost fell off the creature. She steadied herself and took another drink. "Come fight, brother. You want to die? I'll help you." She laughed again.  
  
On the ground Goku was ready to fly to Vegeta's aid when Washu put a hand on his arm. "Don't go." She told him, still watching the fighters.  
  
"What? Why not?"  
  
Washu never took her eyes off the two in the air. "They need to do this, alone."  
  
"What kind of woman is she?" Bulma demanded, worried about her husband.  
  
"An angry one." Washu answered.  
  
The battle was not going well and Vegeta had quickly turned Super Saiyan. The problem, as he saw it, was that although Ryoko's beast could hurt him, he couldn't even touch it. It was also very fast and the whole while, Ryoko taunted him with some of the most horrible words spouting from her mouth. Vegeta had an urge to take her over his knee and spank her. He'd never thought his sister would be like this barbarian.  
  
Suddenly, the spirit went out of control, as Washu had known it would. Ryoko needed at least two of the gems to control the demon, but she only had the one. Ryoko was thrown from its head and landed on the ground, hard.  
  
The demon looked around and began stomping on the ground, heading toward Vegeta's home where all of the people were. Goku immediately said, "Fly!"  
The warriors who had no problem with flight took off with Goku holding Bulma in his arms and Piccolo carrying Washu with little Bra.  
  
Washu was surprised to find herself picked up by the large green alien, but not unhappy at all. She leaned into his heavily muscled chest. "My hero!" She sighed.  
  
Piccolo looked at the little woman nervously, unsure of what he'd just gotten himself into.  
  
Vegeta looked to see that his family was safe and then landed and went to where he'd seen Ryoko land. She stood up shakily until she saw him and her eyes turned red again.  
  
Ryoko launched herself and a sword of light appeared in her hand. She charged at Vegeta, amazingly controlled despite her intoxication. Her eyes were glowing red and Ryoko's face was twisted with rage.  
  
"Die!" She screeched and swung her sword at his head.   
  
Vegeta easily dodged and thought that if she fought this well drunk, what would she be like sober? He had to know. Still, he had the problem of stopping her before she hurt anyone.  
  
He, too, felt himself getting out of control. He was getting angry at her and Vegeta had always had a little trouble controlling his anger.  
  
"Baka woman!" He spit at her. "You disrespect the great woman that is your mother!" He fired a beam of energy at her, which Ryoko blocked, with a swipe of her hand.  
  
"Great woman, my ass! That great woman left me to Kagato! You have no idea what he did to me!"  
  
Memories flooded Ryoko. Alone. So alone. All her young life she'd just wished for someone to talk to. Someone instead of Kagato who used her like a doll. A doll to kill others with. She'd first murdered at eight years old.  
  
The dark cell that had been her home and the torment of her childhood flooded her mind. The learning machine had been a nightmare.   
  
Ryoko ignored the tears as she fought Vegeta out of sheer frustration. She had years of anger to work out and he was a decent target.  
  
Vegeta was at once pleased that his sister was far from weak, but white-hot anger filled his mind. She was so...so arrogant. How could she be his sister? It infuriated him that she just kept taking the blows he managed to land, but wouldn't react to them. Where was she getting her strength?   
  
Vegeta saw no other choice and threw a large Ki bolt at her. Ryoko flew back and hit her head against a rock.  
  
The girl was still, laying in the tall grass. Her arms and legs were splayed at awkward angles. He sure hoped she was all right. She had talent, after all.  
  
Ryoko's eyes shot open and Vegeta found himself staring into red fire. Her hands shot up and she grabbed him around the throat. Vegeta growled and tried to pull her off, but she wouldn't let go. He pulled harder at her arms. Vegeta really didn't want to hurt her, but she was trying to strangle him.  
  
Ripppppppp!  
  
Ryoko screamed in agony and Vegeta found himself staring at his sister's right arm in his hand. The problem was that she was no longer attached to the arm. Vegeta felt, for the first time in his life, like fainting.   
  
Ryoko was sitting, staring at him for just a moment, before her eyes rolled into her head and she collapsed.   
  
Vegeta stared at the dismembered arm, the bloody stump was dripping a puddle at his feet.  
  
"Dear Kami!" He whispered. "What have I done?"  
  
  
  
No one else had noticed Vegeta's terrible mistake, as they were busy with the oozaro spirit. Goku looked at Washu, who didn't appear to be worried at all. "What should we do about this?" He asked. If Vegeta's power had no effect on it, he couldn't see that his would fair any better.   
  
"That?" Washu looked at the demon, just about to step on the Brief's home. "That's no problem." Washu raised a hand to it and a small ball of light grew on it. The ball grew and grew until it engulfed the demon and it faded harmlessly away.  
  
Washu smiled at them. "You didn't think I would give Ryoko the power to do something that I couldn't control, did you?"  
  
Bulma and Piccolo glared at Washu while Goku looked at her with admiration. "That was great!" Goku said. "Can you teach me to do that?"  
  
"Sorry, kid. That's the culmination of 20 thousand years experience."  
  
"Well, why didn't you do that when she first called it up?" Bulma demanded. She was furious that her family had been put in danger.  
  
Washu waggled her finger at Bulma. "That would have taken all the fun!"  
Bulma groaned and took her baby back.  
  
Everyone went over to Vegeta and was as stunned as he was at the sight of Ryoko on the ground and him holding her limp arm.  
  
Vegeta looked at Washu, frightened. "I didn't mean to, Nanny. She...she wouldn't let go."   
  
Goku went to Vegeta and put a hand on his rival's shoulder. He was shocked to see Vegeta shaking. This was weird. Nothing ever effected Vegeta this way. Well, maybe the birth of his children. Goku still remembered when little Bra was born and Vegeta had to be carried by Piccolo to the hospital while Goku had carried Bulma and little Trunks flew along beside them. The poor prince came all undone when his daughter was ready to come into the world.  
  
Washu looked down at her daughter and sighed. "Ryoko, can't you stay sober for just one night?"  
  
Bulma stared at her. "How can you be so cold? We have to get her to a hospital! She might bleed to death!"  
  
"Never underestimate the power of science, my dear." She took the arm from Vegeta's limp grip and tossed it easily in the air where it vanished into a hole that quickly appeared and the disappeared.  
  
"What the???" Bulma stared and didn't know she had just seen one of Washu's dimension pockets.  
  
Washu looked at Ryoko for a moment before putting her hands in front of her where a transparent computer keyboard and monitor appeared. She tapped a few times and Ryoko woke up with a groan.  
  
The computer vanished when Washu took her hands away from it. "Time to wake up, Ryoko. Your battle is over."  
  
Ryoko rubbed her head with her one remaining hand and looked up, her eyes suddenly clear. "What's going on?" She asked in a sober voice. She looked down. "Where the hell is my arm?" She looked around and her eyes landed on a guilty looking Vegeta.  
  
"Hummph!" Ryoko stood up and put a hand to her stump just under her shoulder. The arm magically grew back. Ryoko tested it by wiggling her fingers and then stood up. "So, what's been going on?"  
  
Everyone fell over. "What?" Ryoko demanded. "I don't remember anything other than going out for a drink." She was obviously now sober.  
  
"Did I forget to mention that I paid a visit to Namek?" Washu put a hand behind her head, scratching her hair. "I went to see Guru." Then she looked at Ryoko. "You got your brother into a fight, silly girl." Washu said. "You really should lay off the booze."  
  
"Awww, get off my case, mom." Ryoko floated into the air. "You know I can't remember the last two hours after I start drinking. Usually, that's why I drink."  
  
Bulma stared at her. "You mean you really don't remember what you just did?"  
  
"Nope. Why, did anything interesting happen?"  
  
  
  
  
  
Once back at the house, with Vegeta getting over his shock and Ryoko getting herself drunk again by stealing Vegeta's beer, Bulma was trying to get to know her mother-in-law better. Yamcha had all left earlier, but Goku and Piccolo were still there.  
  
So," Bulma said to the little woman sitting on her couch. "You're a scientist? Have you ever heard of Dr. Gero?" That was the most famous, or rather, infamous name that popped into her mind.  
  
Washu scowled and then burst into insane laughter. The pink haired woman nearly fell off the couch she was laughing so hard.  
  
"Gero? That third rate amateur? I wouldn't have him dust my lab, that incompetent idiot!"  
  
Everyone was silent. How could this person call Dr. Gero who had created the monstrous Cell an amateur? Bulma got a very bad feeling about all this. Washu continued. "I am the greatest in all the universe!"  
  
Ryoko burped as she finished off another of Vegeta's beers and threw the bottle on the floor, deliberately rude. She liked Bulma well enough, but Washu was paying a little to much attention to Vegeta to suit Ryoko's liking.  
  
"You're bragging again, Washu." She announced.  
  
Washu giggled. "It's not bragging if it's true."  
  
Goku was the first to recover from Washu's outburst. "So, how did you and Vegeta meet? Were you really his Nanny?"  
  
Vegeta forced himself not to blush. "That is none of your business, Kakarotto!" He stood and waved a fist at the other Saiyan.  
  
Ryoko grinned. "I want to know, too. How did you get into this dimension and become a Nanny? It's not the sort of job I picture you in."  
  
"In our time line, Ryoko, I was Vegeta's Nanny seven thousand years ago, just before you were born."  
  
Everyone's mouth dropped. "Seven thousand years?" Krillian asked, shocked.   
  
"You idiot." Vegeta scowled at the little human. "It was twenty seven years ago that I last saw Nanny. You do understand that she comes from a different dimension, don't you? Time travels differently."  
  
Washu smiled proudly. "That's my good little Vegeta. I knew you'd learned your lessons." She patted his spiky hair as if he were a dog. "Anyway. I crash-landed on Vegeta-sai when some fool named Frieza surprised me as I was coming out of dimension warp. When I landed, imagine my surprise to find a whole planet of immensely strong warriors. It was just to good to pass up. I wanted some of the DNA that made these people so strong.   
  
Then I found out that the king was the strongest of the entire planet and he was expecting the birth of a child. It was the perfect opportunity to study the lives of this new species.  
  
I offered my services as Nanny and tutor for the child and the king accepted. I used my position to get valuable samples from the king to help me create Ryoko."   
  
Ryoko blinked in astonishment, but said nothing.  
  
Washu continued. "While I was there I decided to teach Vegeta and he became a tremendous student. Why, he's at least three times as smart as an average Saiyan, thanks to several injections while he was a baby."  
  
"What?" Vegeta demanded. This was something he didn't know. "What do you mean, injections?"   
  
"No need to thank me, Vegeta." Washu didn't see the horrified expression. "Just think, if it weren't for me, Vegeta would be as simple minded as most other Saiyans. Instead, he is the smartest to rule the house of Vegeta-Sai in the history of his family."  
  
Vegeta looked at Goku was wide eyes, horrified. "You mean I might be as dumb as that dolt?"  
  
Washu shook her head. "Actually, my little one. Goku is far smarter than average Saiyans." Goku beamed with pride. Washu, a little puzzled, looked at Vegeta who was still coming to terms with the news. "Don't you remember your people?"  
  
Vegeta was quiet for a moment then said, "The only Saiyans I really knew were Nappa and Raditz. The others all died when Frieza destroyed the planet. I was a child and didn't understand much of what was happening. I was kept in a cell while my people were killed and told later what had happened."  
  
"So the Saiyan people are dead?" Washu asked him quietly, knowing that this hurt him. Vegeta was very proud of his race. She couldn't conceal her smile though. "So, Frieze didn't disappoint me, after all."  
  
Everyone looked at her, puzzled. Vegeta asked, "What do you mean? Frieza told me that an asteroid shower destroyed it all, but I knew nothing so small could kill all my people. Only myself and two other Saiyans who served Frieza were allowed to survive. Plus, Kakarotto who was here on Earth."  
  
Washu folded her hands under her chin. "Frieze didn't kill your people, Vegeta. I did."  
  
"What?!"  
  
Before Kagato was able to send me into that prison on the ship, I managed to communicate with Frieza. I'd done business with him in the past and he owed me a couple of favors. I told him that if he'd take the Saiyan prince captive, I would pay him handsomely. He agreed and told me that he wanted the power to destroy a planet as payment."  
  
Silence. Bulma leaned forward. "You actually gave Frieze the power to destroy a planet?" She asked in disbelief.  
  
Washu nodded. "Oh, yes. I promised the king of the Saiyans that I would have my revenge on his people for their betrayal. After Vegeta and his loyal servants were safely on Frieza's ship, I gave him the power he wanted. I was almost afraid he wouldn't use it."  
  
Vegeta looked as if he didn't know whether to cry or scream. "You killed my planet."  
  
Washu smiled and waved it off with a smile. "Don't worry about it. I'll make you a new one if you want."  
  
Goku frowned. "That...that's monstrous. How could you give Frieza so much power when he was completely evil?"  
  
"Vegeta's father sold me and my daughter to Kagato. I was imprisoned for many centuries while Ryoko was enslaved and robbed of her innocence. I was denied the right to raise my baby, so they were denied the right to live. Besides, good and evil are subjective. Frieze was not the most horrible person I'd ever met, though he certainly wasn't the nicest, either. He was just another bent on gaining power."  
  
Piccolo crossed his arms. "Enough with all the babble. Not only was Frieza evil, but I think you must be if you think it's all right to give him so much power. Do you have any idea how many planet and races were destroyed because you gave him power?"  
  
Washu laughed. "Do you know what a dimension cannon is?" She asked the Namek.  
  
"A dimension cannon? No."  
  
"It's a little toy I invented that is capable of destroying solar systems in a single blast. And since it has no Ki energy to detect, no one know until to late that it was coming at them." She looked at Piccolo with narrowed eyes and suddenly did look as evil as he thought she was. "Aren't you glad I didn't give him a weapon like that?"  
  
Bulma gulped. "You have a weapon like that?"  
  
"I have two."  
  
Ryoko looked at her mother. "When did you get the second one?"  
  
"I have some spare time last week."  
  
"Well," Goku said slowly. "Now that the Saiyans are mostly gone, you don't have to use it, right?" He really didn't want to fight the little girl Vegeta was so fond of.  
  
"Naw." Washu waved the thought away. "I would never hurt my little Vegeta and you weren't even on the planet at the time." She stared into space and a tiny smile crossed her lips.  
  
Ryoko saw the smile and cringed. "Oh, no." She knew that smile meant Washu was getting an idea.  
  
"But, since the rest of the Saiyans are dead," Washu paused for dramatic effect. "I think I'll recreate the race!"  
  
"What!?" Everyone demanded at once.   
  
"Well, if I rebuild the planet for you, I really should bring the race back, too." Washu smiled and held a fan in front of her face. "It will be quite a challenge, even for me, to create a race out of two males."  
  
Goku and Vegeta looked at each other sharply. Both began shaking their heads. "Don't even think about it!" They said at once.  
  
"You're no fun. Ah, well, I'll figure something out, though."  
  
Piccolo looked at her. "Won't it be a little dangerous to bring back a race like that? They were evil warriors."  
  
"It'll just add a little spice to your life." Washu said lightly. "Besides, you were just complaining that I destroyed the planet a minute ago."  
  
Piccolo growled at her and raised a fist. "You can't just do that! The Saiyans are to dangerous to bring back! You're mad!"  
  
Washu smiled and suddenly didn't look as friendly as before. "Did you just call me mad?" Her keyboard appeared in front of her hands and she tapped one button. Light flared around Piccolo and he looked very surprised before he turned into a water sprite.  
  
"How cute!" Goku said happily, clapping his hands together.   
  
The little Piccolo tried powering up, but nothing happened and he settled for just glaring at her.  
  
Vegeta sighed. "You get used to the water sprite thing." He said quietly, but everyone heard.   
  
"You mean she's done that to you?" Bulma asked with wide eyes.  
  
"That was punishment if I was bad as a child."  
  
Washu grinned at him. "I seem to remember using it quite often."  
  
The door slammed open. "Mom! Dad! I'm home!" The purple haired Trunks ran into the room and stopped when he saw the visitors. "Hi." He looked at his parents, confused.  
  
"Trunks," Vegeta said to his son. "This is an old friend of mine and your aunt, Ryoko. You will treat them with great respect."  
  
Trunks looked at his father's friends and looked decidedly unimpressed. He nodded, agreeing with his father and went to his mother. "Trunks, dear, did you have fun with Goten and Gohan?"  
  
"Yeah, but Goten had to go to bed all ready. His mom is real strict."  
  
"And so am I." Vegeta crossed his arms at his son. "You have training early in the morning."  
  
"Awww, dad." Trunks complained.  
  
"Do as I say, brat. Bed!" He pointed to the stairs that led to Trunk's bedroom.  
  
"All right, all right." But Trunks did as he was told, although grumpy about it.  
  
Ryoko smiled at the little boy and it was the first time she'd smiled since being here. Bulma noticed.   
  
"Do you like children?" She asked her sister-in-law.  
  
"He's cute." Ryoko admitted. "Little guy's full of spit and fire."  
  
Bulma groaned. "You have no idea! Just try getting him to clean his room, especially with his father's influence. Fighting all day and night!"  
  
Ryoko and Bulma smiled at each other and silently decided that they liked each other. Ryoko started to pick up the beer cans she'd managed to spread all over the living room.  
  
Ryoko looked up at Washu while she was crushing all the cans into a tiny, compressed ball. "This is all well and good, Washu, but I want to go home. Tenchi should be getting home any time."  
  
Vegeta's head shot up at the strange name. "Tenchi? Who is that?"  
  
Washu got a wicked idea. "Why, Tenchi is the boy Ryoko wants to marry."  
  
Ryoko shot up with fury. "Damn it, Washu, keep your mouth shut!" Her tail was sticking straight up as she floated in front of her mother.  
  
Vegeta was silent for a short time while he thought. "You wish to mate with this Tenchi?"  
  
"What business is it of yours?" Ryoko asked hotly, still angry at Washu embarrassing her like that.  
  
Vegeta turned to Bulma. "Go pack, woman. We are going for a visit." Then he looked at Ryoko. "As your oldest male relative, it is my responsibility to ensure a good mate is found for you. That is Saiyan tradition and I intend to find out if this Tenchi is worthy of my sister."  
  
  
Washu stared. Well, she certainly hadn't considered this happening.  
  
  
  
  
CHAPTER 3  
  
  
Dream-  
  
  
People were screaming and Ryoko watched from her high vantage point, seemingly untouched by the pain and death she had caused.   
  
Floating in the clouds she did nothing as the innocent people on the world below died a slow and painful death. She did nothing, because it was her task to kill the planet. She was permitted to do nothing else. Right now, she was not allowed to feel anything else.  
  
Kagato wanted a mineral that was found only in this planet and he was willing to do anything to get it. Including, making Ryoko kill everyone on the planet to get it.  
  
It took less than three days for the whole population to be decimated by Ryoko and she tracked down every man, woman, child, and animal. Simple energy blasts killed them easily, but some of them, Kagato wanted to suffer. Ryoko did as she was told.  
  
After her task was completed, Ryoko flew back to the Sojourner, her home that was in orbit around the now dead world.  
  
She stood numbly in front of Kagato, her golden eyes staring at a fixed point in front of her face.  
  
Kagato was pleased with her. "Good work, Ryoko." Praise was a rare thing for Ryoko, and she was happy just because if Kagato was happy with her he probably wouldn't punish her. She didn't hate him. How could she? There was nothing else in her life, no one else. He was all that she knew. But, she was afraid of him. Kagato could, and has done, terrible things to her.   
  
Ryoko was sent off without another word. As she left, Kagato switched off the mind control device that she wore constantly, a silver circlet on her head that touched her temples. Ryoko sagged suddenly and choked back tears, as she was finally able to control her own body.  
  
The girl slunk away, eager to be away from Kagato.  
  
Ryoko didn't have a room of her own and probably wouldn't know what to do with one if she had one. The only life she knew was slavery to Kagato and anything else was unthinkable. She knew no one and never left the ship unless it was to kill or destroy for Kagato.  
  
She wasn't happy. Not that Kagato had cared for her happiness at all. He didn't care whether she did his work willingly or he had to turn on the circlet, like today. Ryoko hated killing. She didn't even like fighting, she just happened to be very good at it. She was strong and powerful, which meant, to Kagato, that killing should be natural to her. It wasn't.  
  
Ryoko found a shadowy corner of the ship to sleep in. Kagato would find her if she were needed again. The girl curled herself in a tight ball and tried to sleep. Still, the circlet was giving her a headache. If only she could take it off. But, Kagato had told her long ago never to take it off. He would punish her terribly if she took it off.  
  
A voice nagged at the back of her mind. He'd never find out. Just this once.  
  
Against her better judgment, Ryoko worked the tight metal band off her head and instantly felt another presence in her mind.  
  
'Hello, my little Ryoko.' The voice said.  
  
'Who are you?' Ryoko asked, frightened. Was this another of Kagato's tricks?  
  
'I'll tell you that later. I don't think you'd believe me now. Tell me, child, how old are you?'  
  
'I'm eight.'  
  
The voice was silent and Ryoko could tell whoever was speaking to her was not happy.  
  
'Well,' The voice said finally. 'You'd better put that control band back on, for now.'  
  
'What?' Ryoko demanded. 'I just took it off. It's to small and it hurts my head.'  
  
'I'm sorry, little Ryoko. But I can't protect you if Kagato decides to punish you. I won't be able to talk to you when you put it on.'  
  
The thought of giving up her first and only friend was to distressing for poor Ryoko. 'No! I want to keep talking to you.'  
  
'We can still talk, just not all the time. Come back to me when it's safe and I'll talk to you. Just don't tell Kagato that you're talking to someone, all right?'  
  
  
End dream-  
  
  
Ryoko woke with a start. She was sweating heavily and shaking. She was still on the roof of Vegeta and Bulma's house. Glad that no one could see her, Ryoko pulled her legs up to her chest and looked up at the stars. She still had these nightmares. All the time.  
  
She had occasionally thought of going to Washu and asking for help, perhaps the scientist had some kind of medicine that would cure her nightmares. But she never did. That would mean telling her exactly what the dreams were about, and that was something Ryoko didn't want to talk about. What if someone found out that she had been...touched...by Kagato? What would Tenchi think?  
  
Sometimes they were worse and she dreamed that Kagato was still alive somewhere. Alive and looking for her. He wouldn't kill her, of coarse. He would enslave her again and make her start killing again. It was bad enough reliving the memories but she didn't like always being afraid that he would come back.  
  
Looking back on the memory, Ryoko recognized that it was Washu's voice that had spoken to her that time after she'd destroyed the planet. Somehow, the device Kagato had forced Ryoko to wear was coming between their connection. Of coarse, at the time, Ryoko didn't even know who Washu was.  
  
Ryoko sighed when she saw the sun staring to rise. Ah, well. Might as well stay awake now. Then she smiled, remembering that Washu had promised to take them home today. Back to Tenchi.   
  
Unfortunately, that meant that Vegeta and his family was coming also. He still couldn't understand that Ryoko didn't need him looking out for her. Still, it DID feel nice to have someone being protective and she rather liked having a brother.  
  
Ryoko's good mood was ruined when she went into the house and found the Saiyan warrior waiting for her.  
  
They quickly go into an argument.  
  
"Just wear it, damn you!" He screamed at the silver haired girl who stood with her arms crossed in front of her.  
  
"No chance, buster!" Ryoko screamed back. "I'm not wearing that monkey suit!"  
  
Vegeta, prince of the Saiyans, held out a Saiyan warrior's uniform specially tailored for Ryoko, fitting her height that was unusual for Saiyans. He'd been so pleased that the tailor had been able to do a competent job from only a picture of his newfound sister. Now the stubborn woman wouldn't wear it!  
  
"Why not? It is a proud uniform and you should be honored to wear it, considering you aren't even half Saiyan." He added in a bit of a mocking tone.  
  
Ryoko wasn't in the least bit bothered by his tone. "I'm not a warrior, moron. I'm a pirate. I don't wear uniforms and no amount of your yelling can convince me. Washu," She hollered at her mother. "When are we going? I want to get this over with!"  
  
Just the thought of poor Tenchi having to meet this overbearing jerk set her teeth on edge.   
  
The main problem, Ryoko had to admit, was that she actually liked Vegeta and admired his strength. He was everything she could want in family, just like Minagi and Zero. For that matter, just like Washu, though Ryoko would never admit it.   
  
Ryoko just had difficulty with showing her true emotions. Her way to show her new found brother that she cared was to give him a raspberry and dodge out of the way when he threw the heavy suit at her.  
  
After Ryoko floated through the wall howling with laughter at Vegeta's expense, Vegeta glared after her, desperately wanting to break something, but he knew if he did Bulma would give him hell. She was still upset about the sofa.  
  
"She's getting to you, isn't she?" Washu was leaning against the doorframe and apparently had seen the whole thing. "She tends to do that."  
  
Vegeta groaned and considered just going to the gravity chamber instead of involving himself in Ryoko's life. It would be easier. What did he need with a brat of a sister? She was rude and uncultured, not at all what he'd expected of a sister.  
  
Still, she was his sister. She shared his blood. "Why does she hate me?" Vegeta asked Washu. "Other than the fact that, as she said, I had her mother."  
  
"It's not just that." Washu explained. "The fact is that Ryoko had a very hard childhood and she has trouble trusting people. Just bear with her, she really doesn't mean to hurt you."  
  
"A rough life?" Vegeta realized neither Nanny Washu nor Ryoko had exactly told him what had happened with Kagato. So he asked.  
  
Nanny Washu looked away. "It's not my place to say."  
  
"Do you know what he did to her?"  
  
"Yes." Washu replied darkly. "Let me just say that if Tenchi hadn't killed Kagato, I would have found a much more interesting punishment. Kagato didn't deserve the quick death Tenchi gave him."  
  
The bad tempered Saiyan prince had also had a hard life and seen many bad things. It was not hard to imagine what had been done to his sister. Vegeta did a wonderful job of controlling his temper. He only threw one chair threw out the window. The thought of someone hurting his little sister was unbearable. Still, there was nothing he could do now.  
  
Then he got a devious look in his eyes. "I suppose I'll have to bring out my secret weapon to get Ryoko to wear this." Vegeta grinned and Washu knew what he was going to do. She pitied Ryoko.  
  
  
  
  
*Note- everyone who's seen the Dragon Ball Z with Trunk and Bra will know that Bra has a way of making Vegeta give into anything she wants. A puppy dog look. Bra didn't inherit this from her mother. She learned it from Vegeta. Little did he know the trouble it would cause him when his daughter grew old enough to use it.  
  
  
  
Vegeta caught up to Ryoko outside and looked deep into her golden eyes as he gave her THE LOOK. It was a look that had gotten him anything his heart desired as a child. He said nothing, but just held the blue and gray suit in front of him. Vegeta pouted and Ryoko backed away, frightened.  
  
She'd seen cuteness in all its forms, from her darling Tenchi to Sasami with her innocence to Ryokoi's unbridled cuteness. She hadn't expected Vegeta to pull this on her. She could handle him yelling, fighting, or throwing temper tantrums that would impress Ayeka. But this...this was just unfair!  
  
As Vegeta would have no defense against his own daughter in the future, Ryoko had no defense against Vegeta. She didn't even know he was calculating exactly how much cuteness to put out.  
  
Ryoko couldn't help but look into those deep blue eyes. That little bottom lip, stuck out. So...pitiful. So...irresistible.   
  
"Pleassssssssse, Ryoko, sissy." He said in his most sugary voice and praying that no one else would see him like this. "Please wear the suit that I had made for you. It would make me so happy." Kami forbid that Kakorrote or Piccolo would see him like this!  
  
She was going to refuse. She was the most feared space pirate in history. Number one most wanted criminal. She wouldn't give in like this!  
  
Ryoko stared. Even as she was determined not to give into Vegeta, his lower lip started to tremble and tears sprang into his eyes.  
  
How could she say no?  
  
Ryoko bowed her head in defeat and took the uniform. "All right, fine, but don't expect me to like it!"  
  
Ryoko went off to the bathroom to change, cursing Vegeta the whole way. Vegeta heard her say, "Sissy, my ass! How did he do that to me?" Just as she disappeared into the other room.  
  
"That cute act is going to get you in trouble someday." Bulma commented from where she'd been watching.  
  
Vegeta assumed his usual arrogant posture and smirk. "I got my way, didn't I?"  
  
Bulma snorted. "You are truly a brat, you know that, don't you?"  
  
Vegeta smirked at his beloved wife, quite pleased with his acting job.  
  
  
  
They appeared first in Washu's lab. Vegeta, Bulma, Trunks, and little Bra had all come with them to meet Ryoko's family. Bulma's first reaction upon seeing Washu's lab was to drool.  
  
"This is fantastic!" She cried, clutching Bra a little to tightly. "I've never seen such genius technology before. The advancement is incredible, no one on Earth has this sophistication."  
  
Vegeta took little Bra from Bulma to keep her from accidentally hurting the child and let Bulma wander around with "ohhhhh's" and "ahhhhhh's".  
  
Washu patted Bulma on the head. "You're such a nice girl!" She beamed proudly.  
  
Ryoko, now in her tailored Saiyan uniform, led them to the doorway that led into Tenchi's house. Everyone was in the living room except Tenchi. Nobiuki, Tenchi's father, took one look at the visitors and left the room.  
  
"Tenchi's in the fields." Sasami told Ryoko when she asked.  
  
Sasami and Trunks were looking at each other curiously. Sasami smiled sweetly and Trunks smiled shyly, almost in spite of himself.  
  
"Miss Ryoko," Ayeka said primly, standing. "Who are your friends?"  
  
Vegeta looked at the Jurian princess with a sneer. "Do not question me, girl! I will see this Tenchi, now!"  
  
Ayeka raise an eyebrow and lost all trace of her manners. "You will wait until he is done with his chores." She planted her fists on her hips. "Tenchi is far to busy to be bothered with a rude person like you!" She turned up her nose at him.  
  
Ryoko flew down in front of Ayeka and stuck her tongue out. "Get off it, princess! This is my brother, Vegeta, or so Washu tells me, and his family. He just wants to meet Tenchi."  
  
Meanwhile, Bulma was giggling into her hand while Trunks was grinning openly. Vegeta turned on them. "What's so funny?" He asked gruffly.  
  
Trunks burst out laughing. "She talks just like you, father!"  
  
"He's right, Veggie. That girl's just as arrogant as you are." Bulma added.  
  
"I am not arrogant!" Both Ayeka and Vegeta snapped at the same time.  
  
Ayeka gathered her composure and looked at Ryoko. "What are you wearing, anyway? It's not exactly your style." The outfit was far tighter than even Ryoko was used to and only the metal breast plate kept the uniform from being obscene.  
  
Ryoko got an evil look in her eye before replying. "Well, princess, this is my new uniform. You see, I'm now working for the Saiyan army and my brother's decided to invade Juri. I volunteered to lead the assault." Ryoko threw a fist into the air. "Won't it be fun? Just like old times, I can smell the smoke now!"  
  
Ayeka screamed insanely. "That is not funny, Ryoko!"  
  
Ryoko fell on the floor laughing. "Yes, it was! You should have seen the look on your face!"  
  
Ayeka was so mad that she conjured her little logs to surround her while Ryoko brought out her sword of energy.  
  
Vegeta, alarmed at the sight of someone trying to fight his sister, made ready to jump in, but a little hand grabbed his sleeve. It was Sasami. "Don't worry, sir. They won't really hurt each other. They just like to fight."  
  
Sure enough, Vegeta, who had been in plenty of fights to know the difference, realized the two women were just playing. They weren't even really trying to hurt each other.  
  
"What's going on?"  
  
Everything stopped and Vegeta turned to look at a young man, a boy, really. He had short black hair with a short pigtail. The boy carried a large bag of carrots over one shoulder and a garden rake in the other hand. He was not looking at the fighting girls, but at Vegeta and his family. He must be used to them fighting. Ryoko and Ayeka both got starry eyed and clapped their hands together sweetly. "Good morning, Tenchi!" They gushed in unison.  
  
Vegeta looked at the boy, slowly. He walked around Tenchi as if sizing up a slab of meat. His scowl was deep and would have given Cell goosebumps of fear.  
  
Tenchi had no clue what was going on. Only that Ryoko, now that she had stopped fighting with Ayeka, was hovering in the air above him almost protectively and Washu seemed very pleased with herself.   
  
Finally, the brown haired man stopped his circling in front of Tenchi and said to the floating Ryoko. "I have no idea what you see in this scrawny, pathetic, weak boy. You would be better off letting me choose your future mate. I know many available males from my world that are incredible warriors with great power. This boy feels like he has nothing!"   
  
All ready his mind went to all the warriors he knew who were unmated. Piccolo was utterly impossible, as the Nameks were not compatible to humans or Saiyans. Yamcha was unthinkable for obvious reasons (bloody pervert!). The blonde, 18, had taken Krillian. Tien sprung to mind. Yes, that might work. He could definitely see Ryoko mated to Tien.  
  
Everyone stared at Vegeta. Yosho was, as usual, expressionless and Ayeka was very happy that someone was trying to talk Ryoko out of chasing her Tenchi, though not so happy at Tenchi being insulted. Tenchi's dad had wisely left for work with the excuse of wanting some overtime when Washu and the other visitors came out of the lab. Mihoshi had no clue as to what was going on and thankfully sat in the corner, asleep.  
  
Tenchi just gaped at Vegeta and wondered what was going on when Ryoko laughed. "As if! I don't need YOU to go match making for me. I love Tenchi and that's that!" She lowered herself down and threw her arms around Tenchi.  
  
"Besides." Washu spoke up for the first time. "You should test his power before deciding anything. His power is great, but hidden."  
  
"Er, Little Washu? Is that really a good idea?" Tenchi asked, her with wide eyes and a newly acquired nervous twitch. The little man with spiky brown hair seemed awful upset about something, though Tenchi had no idea what.  
  
Vegeta considered this as he glared at an increasingly nervous Tenchi. "Very well. We will fight. Now!"  
  
Tenchi felt like he was going to faint. He just hated fighting. If this guy was Ryoko's brother than he was sure to have at least a little power. Geeze, he was going to have to bring out the tenchiken again.  
  
"Not now." Little Sasami announced. "It's dinner time."  
  
"What?" Vegeta snorted at the blue haired child. "I do not take orders from a child!" He sweat dropped when she glared at him with both fists on her hips. He got a sudden image of what Bulma had been like as a child.  
  
"If you don't come and eat now, I'll never speak to you again!" The child declared her worst threat.  
  
"Plus, you'll go hungry." Ryoko told him. "Sasami is the only one in the house who can cook and if you're not there at meal time, she throws it all away. It's her way of having a family time."  
  
Everyone dutifully followed little Sasami, Vegeta spluttering as he followed last.  
  
  
  
"Ryoko is not worthy of Lord Tenchi!" Ayeka shouted during dinner. "He deserves a princess, not some low life thief!"  
  
Vegeta took a drink of his tea, apparently not bothered by Ayeka's words. "Ryoko is a princess." He said in a calm voice.  
  
Everyone stared at him and Vegeta scowled back at them. "She is my sister. I am prince of the Saiyan people. Therefore she is princess of the Saiyan people."  
  
Ryoko was dumbfounded for a moment. She hadn't thought of that. Instantly, she stood and held up a fist. "That's right! Princess Ryoko! Ha Ha Ha!"  
  
"Not only of the Saiyan people, either." Washu added. "She is also the first born princess of Juri."  
  
"WHAT!!!!!!!!!"  
  
"That is NOT possible!" Ryoko felt vaguely insulted that she might be related to the snotty princess Ayeka, who felt the same way about that awful Ryoko.  
  
"Actually, it is. I told you that I searched for the best DNA in the universe to create you, Ryoko." Washu explained. "I gave you some from the Saiyan king, from Guru of Namek, from the Mass, and some from the Emperor of Juri, Ayeka's father."  
  
"What!" Ayeka and Ryoko jumped up at the same time. Ayeka looked as if she would cry.  
  
"Don't tell me I'm related to the royal pain in the..."  
  
"Yes, she's your sister. You were born several hundred years before Ayeka, but after Yosho."  
  
Vegeta set down his drink and thought things through carefully. "So, now I have a three sisters, Ryoko, Ayeka, and Sasami, plus a brother, Yosho, and a grand- nephew, Tenchi. There was a niece, Achika, but she died some time ago. Right?"  
  
Washu nodded and took another sip of tea.  
  
Ryoko grabbed Washu by the collar and shook her. "When did you plan to tell us this?"  
  
Washu shrugged. "I meant to get around to it some time."  
  
Ryoko stared at her mother in disbelief.  
  
A thought struck Vegeta. "You mean two of my sisters are trying to marry my nephew? That's sick."  
  
"Well, I changed everyone's DNA when they were sleeping, so it's all right."  
  
Tenchi broke into a cold sweat. "You changed our DNA?"  
  
Washu happily nodded. "In the middle of the night some time ago. I didn't want to wake anyone. That would be rude!"  
  
Vegeta had joined Tenchi in sweating nervously. Ryoko looked mad enough to spit nails and Ayeka was huddled in a corner, staring at the wall in a stunned daze. They could hear her mumbling softly to herself.  
  
"No. No. No. No. No."  
  
  
The next day, Vegeta was getting ready to fight Tenchi. He almost wanted the boy to surprise him and show that he deserved Ryoko, although from the look of things yesterday, Tenchi was not at all ready for commitment, yet. He resisted their charms wonderfully, like any Saiyan would. Vegeta himself had stayed away from the thought of mating until he had met Bulma. It was not wise to think of such things until one was really ready.  
  
Tenchi had promised him a duel, with hesitation, once he was finished with his chores. The boy seemed to take his duties around the home seriously and he worked very hard, though Vegeta had no idea what a shine was or why Tenchi worked so hard to clean the steps.  
  
He did understand the boy's grandfather teaching him to use a sword. At least the boy wasn't completely helpless.  
  
Everyone gathered in the open yard in front of Tenchi's house for the match. Bulma had made him promise not to kill the boy. She shook her finger at him as he got dressed that morning trying to convince him that Ryoko would hate him if he killed her love. Vegeta was still convinced that Ryoko would be happier with a competent warrior like Tien.  
  
Tenchi came running down the hundreds of stairs, with a bone stick in one hand. Vegeta frowned and wondered what it was. The stick looked like carved bone or ivory and was only about seven inches long. The boy couldn't hope to fight with that.  
  
"Where is the brat?" Vegeta asked his woman as Tenchi ran the last few steps to the waiting group. Everyone had gathered to watch with popcorn and tea for snacks.  
  
"He's off playing with Sasami." Bulma answered. "They wanted to play in the woods. Trunks has seen you fight often enough. He can play with a friend once in a while." She said it as if she thought he would argue.  
  
Vegeta just shrugged as if it didn't matter. It didn't really. Vegeta was certain that his boy could out fight this Tenchi any time, so for Vegeta it should be a joke of a battle.  
  
They never found out.  
  
Tenchi and Vegeta faced each other, seriously. If Tenchi was going to have to fight, he was determined to make the best of it. Vegeta powered up, just a little, and his Ki energy surrounded him making him look most impressive.  
  
Tenchi watched this with an open mouth. Wow.  
  
Then, he shook himself and held the hilt of the Tenchiken out infront of him. With a little bit of concentration the light blade flared into being, looking very much like Luke Skywalker's lightsaber.  
  
Vegeta was mildly impressed. Still, it was not a very powerful blade. Not by his standards.  
  
The two got ready to charge each other...  
  
A scream ripped through the air and Ayeka gasped in alarm. "That's Sasami!"  
  
Everyone forgot the fight and took off in the direction of the scream. If Sasami was in trouble then it was likely that Trunks was in it to. Not a new event. Still, Vegeta supposed he should get the boy out of whatever he had gotten himself into.  
  
They ran and flew though the forest until the came to the sacred tree, a large tree in the center of a lake that had supposedly come from the sky centuries ago. At the edge of the lake Sasami was shaking on the ground and, to Bulma and Vegeta's horror, a tall man with little glasses held an unconcience Trunks by one foot.  
  
"Put him down!" Vegeta screamed. No one touched his brat!  
  
Ayeka ignored danger and rushed to her sister and pulled her away from the man most of them were familiar with.  
  
Tenchi held his sword up and closed his eyes. Instantly he was dressed in his black battle suit and hissed, "Kagato! I thought we killed you."  
  
Kagato didn't even look at Tenchi. "Try harder next time, child."  
  
"He just appeared from nowhere, Ayeka!" Sasami cried, still looking at her new friend, helpless in Kagato's arms. "Trunks didn't have time to fight."  
  
Ryoko went to stand in front of the group with a scowl that rivaled Vegeta's. "Let the kid go, bastard!"  
  
Kagato laughed. "No. I don't think so, Ryoko. If I can't have my number one weapon, I'm going to take the boy." He gave Trunks a little shake. "I think with the right controls, I'll have a wonderful little slave. Don't you think so, Ryoko?"  
  
Vegeta's eyes blazed red. "My son is no one's slave!"  
  
"He is now, unless you hand over my number one weapon."  
  
"What is that? What is your number one weapon?" Bulma asked. Her eyes were red with blood shot. That was her baby. Her little baby and she wanted him back at any cost.  
  
"I am." Ryoko said, hating the words as she said them. It only reminded her that it was true. Kagato had used her like a gun. Just point and shoot.  
  
"Come to me, Ryoko." Kagato held out a hand to her. "Come to me, and I will let the boy go."  
  
There was a tense moment until Kagato grew tired of it. "Come to me, Ryoko," He put his gloved hand around Trunk's throat. "Or I will kill the boy while you watch." He squeezed and Trunk's face started to turn blue.  
  
Vegeta moved to fly in and snatched Trunks, but Kagato looked at him. "Don't even think about it, monkey. I am faster than I look and I will kill him before you even get both feet off the ground." Vegeta believed him and powered down. He had to wait for his chance.   
  
"I think not." Washu stepped infront of Ryoko, protectively. "You will not take my children again." Her face was more terrible than even Vegeta's. "I was helpless last time. Not now."  
  
"And what do you think you can do about it?"  
  
"Me? Let's see, shall we?"  
  
Washu pulled a tiny hand held device out of her pocket. "This is my old invention. I came up with the idea shortly after you kidnapped Ryoko and I. It's called the dimension ripper. Like my dimension cannon, it's designed to work on the galactic level, but unlike the cannon, this can be focused on a small area and do the same amount of destruction. In other words, it will be like being turned inside out several thousand times and being alive and aware every time."  
  
That was a gruesome thought to everyone, but Kagato sneered. "How do you plan to do that while I am holding the boy? I will take him with me, Professor Washu, and you will live with that knowledge your whole life."  
  
"Just let the kid go, Kagato." Ryoko said. "I...I'll go with you." The words were painfully hard to say. She just couldn't let Trunks die.  
  
"Wise decision, Ryoko, wiser than your mother's. I've raised you well."  
  
Washu shuddered, but it was the truth. If anyone had raised Ryoko, it was Kagato. For better or for worse Kagato was Ryoko's father as much as Washu was her mother.  
  
Ryoko took a deep breath and started walking toward Kagato. Vegeta felt like he was going insane. First his brat was in deadly peril, now his sister was going to sacrifice herself, and there was nothing he could do about it.  
  
He kept looking for an opening, but there was none. Trunks was still strangling. Just as Ryoko reached Kagato, Vegeta was shocked to see Tenchi run past him with the Tenchiken raised high over his head. It was like slow motion to Vegeta. As Tenchi ran, his battle clothes faded away, replaced with light so bright it was blinding.  
  
Kagato's expression darkened. The sword vanished until Tenchi was surrounded with what looked like blades of light and Vegeta heard Ayeka breath, "The Light Hawk Wings!"  
  
Kagato dropped Trunks and Vegeta flew in fast enough to catch him before Trunks hit the ground.  
  
Kagato screamed. "NO! I will not be stopped by you again!" He held up his hands against Tenchi, but he was to late. The Light Hawk Wings captured Kagato with their force and he was trapped. Helpless.  
  
Little Washu smiled, sweet and innocent. She held out the little weapon and walked toward Kagato.  
  
"Don't do it, Professor." Kagato warned. "Your Tenchi is trapped with me." He looked to where Tenchi was only a foot away from Kagato. He had to stay close or Kagato would escape. "He will go with me."  
  
"Oh, I don't think so." Little Washu activated the device and a light came from it. Like a little red laser beam and touched Kagato on the forehead.   
  
He screamed and screamed and screamed until Tenchi finally let go of him. Kagato exploded into a cloud of dust. Then nothing.  
  
Vegeta held onto Trunks and decided that perhaps Ryoko had indeed found a good mate. 


End file.
